Department for Transport

Aviation

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to work with the airline sector to help minimise travel disruption for passengers in the event of a disorderly Brexit.

baroness sugg: We remain committed to reaching an agreement with the European Union. However, as a responsible Government we are planning for the alternative. The Department’s aviation technical notices and the European Commission’s published plans for aviation contingency preparations, clearly demonstrate that, in the event of no deal, both sides are committed to maintaining connectivity. Additionally, as part of our EU Exit preparatory work, the Government is in the process of converting EU law into domestic law so that the statute book can continue to function after the UK leaves the EU. The Department has and will continue to engage regularly with stakeholders from across the aviation industry in relation to EU Exit.

Large Goods Vehicles: Safety

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Sugg on 21 January (HL1626), what factors are included in coming to the conclusion that a serious casualty involving a heavy goods vehicle costs £180,000.

baroness sugg: The Department for Transport’s published Transport Analysis Guidance includes estimates of the cost of a serious casualty. The factors included are human costs including pain, grief and suffering; loss of output due to injury including earnings and non-wage payments; and the cost of ambulance and hospital treatment.

Railway Stations: EU law

lord german: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Sugg on 17 January (HL12702), why the decision was taken to build platforms on the new HS2 line at a lower height than the nominal permitted 915 mm.

baroness sugg: We are not building new platforms on the HS2 line at a lower height than 915mm. Rather, at the new HS2 stations, platforms will be circa 1115mm above rail height. This is higher than most current UK Network Rail platforms (which are nominally 915mm above rail height, though, for historical reasons, this can vary significantly). The higher platform height for HS2 was chosen to improve passenger accessibility by achieving step-free access between all new HS2 platforms and the new high speed trains. HS2 Ltd, in cooperation with the Department, consulted international rolling stock manufacturers on the design and technical requirements needed to provide step-free access for HS2 and simultaneously achieve HS2’s target capacity and journey times. This consultation indicated that specification of an increased platform height was necessary.

Gospel Oak-Barking Railway Line: Trains

lord german: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they anticipate new electric trains will be in service on the Gospel Oak to Barking line.

baroness sugg: The Gospel Oak to Barking rail line is run by Transport for London (TfL). This is not a matter for the Department for Transport (DfT) as such. The Mayor of London is accountable for this service and will be able to assist with this question.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Foreign Companies: Takeovers

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of Brexit uncertainty on takeovers of UK companies by international investors.

lord henley: The United Kingdom has a global reputation as a good place to do business. A new business starts up every 75 seconds, and we are home to five of the top 10 fastest-growing businesses in Europe. The OECD ranks us as one of the best places to start and grow a business; we have the most competitive tax rates and we are welcoming to global talent and disruptive start-ups. As of 2017, the United Kingdom had the third highest inward FDI stock in the world ($1.6 trillion). Our Industrial Strategy aims to make Britain the best place to start and grow a business. We will drive productivity in businesses of all sizes by increasing collaboration, building skills and ensuring everyone has the opportunity of good work and high-paying jobs. We will create a business environment equipped for the challenges and opportunities of new technologies and ways of doing business. The UK remains open for business.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Malaysia: Travel Information

lord pickles: To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they have issued to UK citizens intending to travel to Malaysia; and what advice they have issued to athletes intending to travel to the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: On Sunday 27 January 2019, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) stripped Malaysia of the right to host the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships. British nationals can find our latest travel advice on the GOV.UK website. We keep this travel advice under constant review and make regular updates.

Greece: Macedonia

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent escalating tensions between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia regarding the latter's proposed name change; and whether they would support a membership application from Macedonia to join the EU.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK strongly supports the Prespa Agreement between Greece and Macedonia to resolve their long-standing dispute over the latter's name. I welcome the completion of the parliamentary process in Macedonia which amends the constitution in line with the Agreement. I also welcome Greek parliamentary ratification of the Agreement. Implementation of the deal will improve stability and prosperity in the region. It is long-standing UK Government policy to support those countries committed to the European Union accession process to make the reforms required to meet the accession criteria.

China: Genetic Engineering

baroness berridge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations, if any, they have made to the government of China about reports that babies have been born in China with edited genes.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: There are conflicting media reports on claims of genetic modification in China. We shall continue to monitor the situation. We have had no discussion with the Chinese Government regarding the ethical issues and risks associated with the gene-edited babies born in China. The procedure alleged to have been carried out by Prof He Jiankui in China would be illegal in the UK. It would be an offence under the 1990 Human Fertilisation & Embryology Act (1990 Act), punishable, on conviction, by a prison term of up to 10 years, a fine or both.

Jerusalem: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding the status of Palestinians in East Jerusalem who have been denied full Israeli citizenship and cannot travel abroad.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We regularly make clear our serious concerns about the situation in East Jerusalem to the Israeli authorities and the Municipality of Jerusalem. We remain deeply concerned about restrictions on freedom of movement to and from East Jerusalem.​

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about (1) the number of, and (2) the level of fines imposed on Palestinians.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have not recently raised this issue with the Israeli authorities.

Christianity: Oppression

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to encourage Heads of Mission and Department for International Development country heads to develop country-specific strategies and programmes to protect Christians and advance the right to freedom of religion or belief.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: As the Prime Minister's Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief, I encourage all Heads of Mission to develop strategies and programmes to protect and promote Freedom of Religion or Belief where it is under threat. We work with posts to develop strategies and programmes which promote Freedom of Religion and Belief, including strengthening the work of civil society organisations. The Foreign Secretary has commissioned an independent, global review into Christian persecution, which will make recommendations on the additional practical steps the government can take to support persecuted Christians. The Review is due to deliver an interim report by Easter 2019.

EU Countries: Travel Information

lord hunt of chesterton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they are providing to UK residents about travelling to and from the EU and other European countries; and how they will publicise any such advice.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is providing updates on the GOV.UK website to advise travellers to the EU and other European countries on visas, passports, driving permits and more. We encourage travellers to check the latest information on GOV.UK/euexit before starting their journey and to sign up for email alerts.

Gambia: Capital Punishment

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations theyhave made to the government of the Gambia regarding the use of the death penalty.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Since President Barrow's Government came into power in early 2017 the UK has welcomed and supported the increased focus on respect for human rights, including the steps taken towards abolishing the death penalty. In September 2017 The Gambian Government signed the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty. This has resulted in a moratorium on the death penalty in The Gambia.It is the long-standing policy of the UK to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. We consider its use undermines human dignity, that there is no conclusive evidence of its deterrent value, and that any miscarriage of justice leading to its imposition is irreversible and irreparable. The UK plays a leading role in pressing for the reduced use of the death penalty overseas, through multilateral institutions including the UN, and through targeted bilateral interventions.

Indonesia: Capital Punishment

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations theyhave made to the government of Indonesia regarding the use of the death penalty.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have repeatedly made representations about the use of the death penalty to the Indonesian Government at the highest levels, most recently during my visit to Indonesia on 29-30 October 2018. We shall continue to do so.

Duaa Alwadaei

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 14 June 2018 (HL8318), whether they will correct their statement that Duaa Alwadaei was tried in absentia in Bahrain on charges of assault, following the report by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Opinions adopted by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention at its eighty-second session, 20–24 August 2018, published on 7 January, which states, in paragraph 61, that the government of Bahrain described her charge as insulting a public official.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Duaa Alwadaei was charged with the (verbal) assault of a police officer and tried in absentia after failing to attend court. British Embassy Officials attended the hearing where the charges were read. The charge of assault has also been confirmed in public statements from the Government of Bahrain.

Hajer Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 21 January (HL12760) and the report by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Opinions adopted by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention at its eighty-second session, 20–24 August 2018, published on 7 January, what plans they have to assess the circumstances of Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei’s family members, given that (1) assurances from the government of Bahrain that there have been no reprisals against his family members contradict the findings of that report, and (2) the UK was a signatory to a joint statement at the Human Rights Council in 2014, which urged the government of Bahrain to release all persons imprisoned solely for exercising human rights.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Noble Lord will know from previous answers in this House that we have received categorical assurances from the Bahraini authorities that the legal cases against Mr Alwadaei’s family members are not related to Mr Al Wadaei's activities. We understand that Mr Al Wadaei has been able to continue with his work. We have raised these cases at a senior level with the Government of Bahrain.

Hajer Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Opinions adopted by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention at its eighty-second session, 20–24 August 2018, published on 7 January, which states that Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei’s family were “deprived of their liberty, interrogated and prosecuted for their family ties…and that these were acts of reprisals”, what assessment they have made of whether the statement by Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior on 10 January disseminates false information about Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei and his family; and whether they will issue a public comment on that statement.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: As the Noble Lord will know from previous answers in this House, our Embassy in Bahrain and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office continue to monitor these cases and have received assurances from the Bahraini authorities that the legal cases against Mr Alwadaei’s family members are not related to Mr Al Wadaei’s activities. We are aware of the statement of 10 January from Bahrain’s Ministry of the Interior.

Bahrain: Courts

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by the Minister for the Middle East on 22 January (HC Deb, col 129), what are the independent processes in place to oversee the activities of the courts in Manama, Bahrain; and how they assess the progress made in that country.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK supports Bahrain's reform programme, which includes strengthening independent oversight bodies such as the Ministry of Interior Ombudsman and the Prisoners and Detainees Rights Commission. The National Institute for Human Rights has the remit to monitor court cases on due process, and does so regularly. ​

Bahrain: Courts

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the report by Human Rights Watch World Report 2019: events of 2018, published in January, that civilian and military courts in Bahrain continued “to convict and imprison peaceful dissenters, including prominent human rights defenders and opposition leaders, under the guise of national security” in 2018.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK supports freedom of expression and freedom of speech as both a fundamental right in itself and as an essential element of a full range of human rights. We continue to encourage the Government of Bahrain to protect freedom of expression for all of its citizens, in line with its international obligations.

Northern Ireland Office

Capital Investment: Northern Ireland

lord rogan: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the additional financial support allocated to Northern Ireland as a direct result of the confidence and supply agreement with the Democratic Unionist Party (1) has been spent, and (2) remains to be spent.

lord duncan of springbank: Alongside the Confidence & Supply Agreement, the UK Government has committed to providing £1 billion of additional funding to Northern Ireland departments. A total of £430 million from the financial annex to the Confidence and Supply Agreement has been allocated to the Northern Ireland block grant. The remaining £570 million has not yet been allocated and would be subject to Parliament’s approval through the usual Estimates process. Further details on funding allocations are set out in the financial annex to the Confidence and Supply Agreement at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/conservative-and-dup-agreement-and-uk-government-financial-support-for-northern-ireland/uk-government-financial-support-for-northern-ireland

Northern Ireland Assembly: Pay

lord maginnis of drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government what has been the total continuing payment to Members of the Legislative Assembly in each party in the Northern Ireland Assembly since the Assembly ceased to function; and what has been the overall payment to each of those party's staff during that period.

lord duncan of springbank: The budget for the payment of salaries to MLAs, along with the associated financial figures, is held by the Assembly Commission. This is the corporate body of the NI Assembly. They are the appropriate body to advise on exact figures paid. Details of this expenditure are not held by the Northern Ireland Office.

Department for International Development

Palestinians: Health Services

lord turnberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bates on 21 January (HL12583), what assessment they have made of the finding in the report by the World Health OrganisationMonthly Report December 2017: Health Access for Referral Patients from the Gaza Strip, published on 7 February 2018, that more than 13,000 Palestinians were allowed to leave Gaza for medical treatment in 2017 in Israel.

lord bates: DFID continually assesses the humanitarian context in Gaza, including the health sector, which remains under significant strain. Movement restrictions on patients seeking medical treatment outside Gaza remain a critical concern, particularly since the number of patients requesting access to medical care outside Gaza on a monthly basis increased significantly in 2018 compared to 2017. Recent information from the World Health Organisation Monthly Report November 2018: Health Access for Referral Patients from the Gaza Strip, published on 30 December 2018, showed that there is a positive trend over the prior 12 months for medical permits granted by the Government of Israel. However, access to some medical services, such as cancer treatment, remains constrained. The UK hopes to see this positive trend continue and for the wounded and critically ill in Gaza to be able to access the urgent medical care they need.

Palestinians: Health Services

lord turnberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 21 January (HL12583),what representations they have made to the Palestinian Authority about (1) its responsibility to pay for the medical care of patients from Gaza treated in Israel, and (2) the limitations it has placed on exit permits for patients from Gaza to receive medical treatment in Israel.

lord bates: The UK continually monitors the humanitarian context in Gaza, including in the health sector, and we remain deeply concerned about restrictions on movement and access and the impact that this is having on the wounded and critically ill. Officials raised Palestinian Authority (PA) funding of health referrals for patients from Gaza to Israel in a meeting with the Minister for Health in June 2018 and continue to do as part of broader engagement with the PA on their obligations in Gaza. We have not received reports of the PA restricting Gazan exit permits but are looking into this issue.

Department for Education

Curriculum

lord stoddart of swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of non-curriculum activities on the teaching of the core curriculum in state schools in England.

lord agnew of oulton: The department has made no specific assessment on this matter as it is up to schools themselves to decide how to organise curricular and non-curricular activities.All schools have to provide a broad and balanced curriculum. Ofsted is currently consulting on proposals for a new inspection framework which has a strong emphasis on curriculm, alongside a focus on pupils’ personal development and extra-curricular opportunities.The attached table, taken from the School workforce in England 2017 publication, indicates that in state funded secondary schools the proportion of all teaching time spent on core subjects has increased.



HL12998_Head_count_of_qualified_teachers_table
(Excel SpreadSheet, 78 KB)

Ministry of Justice

Prison Sentences

lord german: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to stop the use of six month custodial sentences; and if so, when they plan to bring forward the proposals necessary to make such a change.

lord german: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is their policy to increase the number of community sentences rather than custodial sentences.

lord keen of elie: We would like to see short custodial sentences imposed much less frequently and to have a stronger emphasis on community penalties, including those which address offenders’ behaviour, answer their mental health and alcohol or drug misuse needs, or provide reparation for the benefit of the wider community. There is persuasive evidence showing that short custodial sentences do not work in terms of rehabilitation and helping some offenders turn their backs on crime. Community sentences, in certain circumstances, are more effective in reducing reoffending, and therefore keeping the public safe. We are therefore exploring options to restrict the use of short custodial sentences, but we have not at this stage reached any conclusions.

Prison Sentences: Scotland

lord german: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made an assessment of the presumption againstprison sentences of three months or less in Scotland; if so, what lessons they have learned from that policy; and what assessment they have made of the success of that policy on the rate of reoffending.

lord keen of elie: The Scottish Government’s consultation in 2015 on Proposals to Strengthen the Presumption against Short Periods of Imprisonment refers to an evaluation, conducted in 2013-14, of the impact of the current presumption against sentences of 3 months or less (https://www2.gov.scot/Resource/0048/00485797.pdf). It concludes that while the presumption, which has been in place since 2011, underlines the Scottish Government’s intention to move away from short sentences, the three month limit has had little practical impact.We have noted this assessment and the pledge by the Scottish Government to extend the presumption to sentences of 12 months or less so that it has a more direct impact on reducing short custodial imprisonment. However, sentencing law in England and Wales is different from that in Scotland. The Criminal Justice Act 2003 already requires a court before imposing a custodial sentence of any length to be satisfied that the offence is so serious that only custody is merited. We therefore already have a requirement in law that custody should be a last resort, but we are looking at what more we can do to emphasise this and will continue to monitor developments in Scotland.

Offenders: Rehabilitation

lord german: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce residential centres for men as a means of reducing re-offending.

lord keen of elie: At present, the Ministry of Justice is only proposing to pilot residential centres for women and not for men. However, we recognise the differing needs of male and female offenders and are committed to improving the way we meet the housing and rehabilitative needs of both women and men. There are many ways in which MoJ and its agencies provide housing and interventions for male and female offenders in the community. The Ministry of Justice invests approximately £63million per annum into offender accommodation. The Bail Accommodation Support Services provide 550 beds across England and Wales. In addition, there are 100 Approved premises that provide over 2,200 spaces for high risk offenders. These are short-term accommodation hostels, which provide a community based alternative to custody for specific cohorts of offenders. Probation Providers work with those individuals to provide them with the necessary support to enable them to move-on to settled accommodation. In addition, as part of the Government initiative to reduce and ultimately eliminate rough sleeping across England, the Ministry of Justice will invest up to £6.4 million in a pilot scheme to help ex-offenders into accommodation from three prisons, namely Bristol, Pentonville and Leeds. The pilots will specifically focus on male prisoners who have served under 12 months, who have been identified as having a risk of homelessness.

Prisons: Overcrowding

lord german: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reduce the number of prisons operating at over 150 per cent of their capacity.

lord keen of elie: There are no prisons operating over their operational capacity in England and Wales. The operational capacity of a prison is the total number of prisoners that an establishment can hold taking into account control, security and the proper operation of the planned regime. It is determined by the prison group directors on the basis of operational judgement and experience.Certified Normal Accommodation (CNA), or uncrowded capacity, is the Prison Service’s own measure of accommodation. CNA represents the good, decent standard of accommodation that the Service aspires to provide all prisoners. CNA differs to the operational capacity of a prison which is the total number of prisoners that an establishment can hold taking into account control, security and the proper operation of the planned regime. It is determined by the Prison Group Directors on the basis of operational judgement and experience.Where the operational capacity of a prison is higher than the CNA it will be classed as having the potential to be 'crowded', which can mean prisoners share cells. In the financial year 2017-18, 24.2% of the prison population was being held in crowded conditions, down from 24.5% in the previous year.As part of prison reform, the long-term goal is to reduce crowding, while maintaining sufficient capacity in the prison estate to manage the demands of the courts and the sentenced population as efficiently as possible. This level is kept under constant review, considering fluctuations in the prison population and useable capacity across the estate.

Unpaid Fines

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the amount of unpaid court imposed fines on individuals who are not able to pay; and what steps they intend to take to deal with this matter.

lord keen of elie: HM Courts and Tribunals Service actively manages all outstanding court ordered financial impositions and uses a number of intelligence tools to identify and implement suitable enforcement sanctions against those who fail to comply with the order. The Court uses the information it has available to it when setting a financial imposition to determine the level at which the fine should be set together with any repayment terms.If an offenders’ circumstances change after a fine has been imposed they can request a means hearing where the court will review the amounts they owe and their circumstances. The Court may as a result decide to remit some of the amounts outstanding or change the payment terms previously agreed. This Government takes recovery and enforcement of financial impositions very seriously and remains committed to finding new ways to ensure impositions are paid and clamping down on fine defaulters is a continued priority nationwide. There are a number of sanctions available to HMCTS and the courts for offenders who default on the payment terms of their orders. These can include deductions from the offender’s benefits or attachment of earnings orders if they are employed, clamping of vehicles, issue of warrants of control to seize goods to the value owed and ultimately imprisonment for non-payment.

Judiciary: Working Conditions

lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report to the Senior Salaries Review Body The attractiveness of judicial appointments in the United Kingdom, published in January 2018, what plans they have to improve working conditions for judges.

lord keen of elie: The Government values the work of our world-renowned judiciary. We are carefully considering all the recommendations and observations made by the SSRB’s major review, which include those relating to pay and working conditionsAn additional £1 billion investment through the HMCTS Reform programme has already started to improve our courts. Introducing digital services and more efficient ways of working through the programme will free up judges from routine tasks so they can focus on the most contentious issues.In reflection of concerns raised by the judiciary about the courts and tribunals estate, the Government has invested an additional £15 million this year to carry out much needed security and maintenance work to improve the conditions of courts across England and Wales. This work is currently underway.

Department for International Trade

Trade Agreements

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to make progress in negotiating post-Brexit bilateral trade deals with (1) Norway, (2) South Korea, and (3) Turkey.

baroness fairhead: As a matter of priority, the Government is working to ensure there is no disruption to the UK’s global trading relationships, including maintaining the effects of our existing preferential trade arrangements with Norway, South Korea and Turkey as far as possible. Ministers and officials are engaging with these partners to complete this work. Discussions are progressing on all these agreements.The Government will be updating businesses and Parliament on the progress of this programme of work shortly.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

High Rise Flats: Insulation

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to safety concerns for residents in tower blocks where responsibility for the removal of combustible cladding is disputed.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government is committed to ensuring that residents are safe, and feel safe, in their homes.We are working closely with local authorities and Fire and Rescue Services to ensure that interim safety measures are in place in all buildings until the cladding is replaced. We are backing local authorities to take enforcement action where building owners are refusing to remediate high-rise buildings with unsafe cladding. This will include financial support where this is necessary for the local authority to carry out emergency remedial work. We have also established a Joint Inspection Team to support local authorities and give them the confidence to pursue enforcement action.

Sleeping Rough: Immigrants

lord stoddart of swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of immigration on the increase in rough sleeping in England since 2013.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government has not made an assessment of the impact of immigration on the number of people sleeping rough.However, national street counts and intelligence driven estimates of people sleeping rough are conducted every year in autumn and these take account of an individual’s nationality. The most recent data (for England) is from the autumn 2018 annual street count and estimate, which returned a total figure of 4,677 rough sleepers in England - showing a fall in numbers for the first time in 8 years - 1,048 of these self-reported as non-UK nationals.To tackle this issue, we are making £5 million of funding available to help local areas support non-UK national rough sleepers off the streets. This funding will complement the projects which we have already funded through the £100 million Controlling Migration Fund (CMF) for local authorities to work with non-UK nationals who sleep rough. Further CMF funding allocations will be announced shortly.This Government is committed to reducing homelessness and rough sleeping. No one should ever have to sleep rough. That is why last summer we published the cross-government Rough Sleeping Strategy which sets out an ambitious £100 million package to help people who sleep rough now, but also puts in place the structures that will end rough sleeping once and for all. The Government has now committed over £1.2 billion to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping over the spending review period.

Ministry of Defence

Israel: Military Exercises

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have invited the Israeli Air Force to join the Royal Air Force in Exercise Cobra Warrior in September 2019; and what consideration they gave, when awarding a contract to Elbit Systems UK, of the use of that company by the government of Israel.

earl howe: Her Majesty's Government works closely with the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) in order to counter the destabilising regional activity of Iran and Hezbollah, and to conduct operations against Daesh. The IDF also provides crucial access and overflight for the RAF to be able to conduct air operations in support of Op SHADER. Accordingly, in support of this important defence relationship, the RAF invited the Israeli Air Force to join Exercise COBRA WARRIOR, alongside RAF, German, and Italian Air Force Units. The Exercise enables participating Air Forces to learn mutual lessons from operating together; just as the RAF does on exercise with many other Air Forces. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has a contract with Elbit Systems UK for the MORPHEUS Battlefield Management Application. Under the contract Elbit Systems UK will provide the British Army with an operationally proven battle management application for both headquarters and tactical units. As with all MOD contractors, we assess the legal and financial status of a company before placing a contract, and take into account any other factors which may impact on delivery of the requirements.

Armed Forces: Casualties

lord foulkes of cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to carry out any investigations into historic military deaths that have occurred in Scotland since1990; and if not, why not.

earl howe: The investigation of deaths, whether they are military or civilian lies with the Scottish Government and the Crown Office of the Procurator Fiscal/Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) complies with the appropriate legislation; Inquiries into Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc. (Scotland) Act 2016 for investigations into deaths of Service personnel in Scotland. The decision to conduct Fatal Accident Investigations is for the Crown Office of the Procurator Fiscal in conjunction with the Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit. The MOD will always support the Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit in its deliberations/investigations in an open and honest manner. An initial investigation is carried out following any death, very serious injury or serious injury of a Service person, including natural causes whether they are on or off duty. The initial investigation includes an overview of the event, what happened, to whom, when and why. These accounts are conducted expeditiously after the event (within five days if possible), and are designed to be a swift capture of the events and aimed to identify any immediate lessons that may have been found. The internal investigations also present recommendations to prevent any recurrence of a similar incident where possible. These investigations are always shared with the Crown Office/Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit.

Department for Work and Pensions

Habitual Residence Test: Refugees

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether refugees are required to undertake the (1) habitual residence, and (2) right to reside parts of the habitual residence test.

baroness buscombe: Refugees granted limited or indefinite leave to remain will satisfy the legal right to reside requirement and are exempt from the assessment of factual habitual residence.

Universal Credit: Refugees

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendation in the report by the British Red Cross Still an Ordeal: the move on period for refugees, published on 6 December 2018,toallow refugees who do not have a bank account to use the existing asylum support payment (ASPEN) card for their first Universal Credit payment.

baroness buscombe: Those who do not have a bank account, including refugees, can have their Universal Credit award paid through a Post Office Card Account, or alternatively payments can be made into someone else’s bank account. Payments can also be made using the Government Payment Exception Service.

Universal Credit: Refugees

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether theyintend to publish an evaluation of the impact of the Post Grant Appointment Service on the transition of refugees to Universal Credit; and if so, when.

baroness buscombe: We have conducted an informal evaluation of the Post Grant Appointment Service, which includes looking at refugees claiming Universal Credit as well as legacy benefits and intend to write to the Work and Pensions Select Committee detailing our findings. Our response to the Committee will be published.

State Retirement Pensions: Females

lord allen of kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to revise the state pension age arrangements for women born in the 1950s who are adversely affected by (1) the Pensions Act 1995, and (2) the Pensions Act 2011.

baroness buscombe: This matter has been comprehensively debated on many occasions in Parliament. The Government has no plans to revisit the policy on women’s State Pension age and does not intend to make further concessions. The changes in the 2011 Act occurred following a public Call for Evidence and extensive debates in Parliament. A concession limiting the increase in State Pension age under the 2011 Act in any individual case to 18 months, relative to the 1995 Act timetable, has already been made during the passage Act (at the cost of £1.1 billion).

Social Security Benefits: Service Charges

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether compulsory service charges paid by housing tenants over and above their rent for communal facilities on their estate are taken into account in the calculation of Housing Benefit and Universal Credit.

baroness buscombe: Services charges for communal facilities can be included in a claimant’s Housing Benefit award or Universal Credit Housing Cost Element. Most service charges will be eligible for assistance. There are, however, some exceptions. For example, charges related to the heating or lighting of communal areas are eligible for assistance but not charges related to heating and lighting of the tenants own home.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Water Treatment

lord smith of finsbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements they will make to ensure the efficient delivery of water purification chemicals from the EU to water companies in the UK in the event of a no-deal withdrawal from the EU.

lord gardiner of kimble: My department is working closely with the water industry and regulators to prepare for all potential EU withdrawal outcomes. The water industry is reliant to a large extent on chemicals imported from the EU to ensure water is safe to drink. Often they are supplied on a ‘just in time’ basis. Water companies and officials in my department have been working together to identify the sector’s needs and any steps that should be taken to ensure they continue to be met. Analysis of current supply chains has provided reassurance. The majority of critical chemicals come through ports such as Immingham, which are less likely than Dover to see potential disruption. Water companies are also increasing their on-site stocks of chemicals and are working with suppliers and regulators to increase production rates and storage capacity or look for alternative options for resilience. The Government will further ensure all necessary steps are taken to secure chemicals for the water sector. As a result of the steps we have taken, my department is confident that we will continue to have safe and plentiful supplies of water in the event of no deal.

River Thames: Cocaine

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on eels of cocaine in the river Thames; and what steps they intend to take to reduce the level of cocaine in that river.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Environment Agency (EA) undertakes a wide range of monitoring in the River Thames, including some exploratory monitoring for cocaine, to manage water quality and inform future regulatory approaches where appropriate.   The EA is working with Thames Water and other water companies to undertake extensive investigations to assess a wide range of chemicals entering rivers through wastewater treatment works. The investigations have shown that wastewater treatment works significantly reduce the concentrations of many chemicals before they are discharged to rivers. Although cocaine is not part of these investigations, it is likely that it will be similarly affected by wastewater treatment.   The Thames Tideway Tunnel, which is currently in construction and will be operational by 2023, will significantly reduce the frequency and volume of discharges of storm sewage and improve water quality in the tidal Thames. This will reduce levels of associated chemicals in the tidal river.

Home Office

Refugees: Housing

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review their policy of requiring those refugees who have been granted leave to remain to find their own accommodation within28 days.

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures are in place to support those refugees who have been granted leave to remain and are expected to find their own accommodation within 28 days; and in particular, what specific support they provide to such refugees in regard to (1)practical difficulties,(2) unsuitability of available accommodation,and (3) transitional and language challenges.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government has been working on a number of initiatives to ensure that refugees are able to access benefits and housing promptly once any support they been provided by the Home Office ends 28 days after the grant of their status.Refugees are eligible to receive assistance with housing from their local authority, in the same way as British Citizens or other permanent residents of the UK, and are treated as a priority need if they have children or are considered vulnerable. Asylum accommodation providers are under a contractual duty to refer these cases to the appropriate local authority.The Home Office also provides a Biometric Residence Permit and National Insurance Number to enable newly recognised refugees to make an application for benefits and arranges an appointment with their nearest Job Centre if they confirm that they want assistance to make the application.Refugees are entitled to access English language tuition if they are unemployed and looking for work.

Department for Exiting the European Union

EU Presidency

lord stoddart of swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the EU General Affairs Council meeting on 8 January, what assessment they have made of the presidency's priorities and focus on building a more cohesive EU.

lord callanan: The Government is supporting Romania in its first Presidency of the Council of the European Union. We welcome the broad theme of cohesion which will underpin the Romanian Presidency’s four planned priority areas. On the priority of Converging Europe, the UK Government welcomes the Presidency’s prioritisation of these proposals and believes in the benefits of an open, flexible market with a regulatory framework that reflects the dynamic nature of the digital economy and increases cross-border e-commerce. On a safer Europe, the UK is unconditionally committed to ensuring European security. We support the Presidency’s desire to implement plans to counter terrorism, deliver on the European Agenda on migration and promote cyber-security. On Europe, a stronger global actor, the UK Government looks forward to cooperating with the Presidency on its work with the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership regions. Finally, on a Europe of common values, the UK places great importance in supporting the countering of misinformation.

Borders: Northern Ireland

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, theyhave to erect a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in the event of a no-deal Brexit; and what costs have been incurred so far in preparation for such an outcome.

lord callanan: Delivering a deal with the EU remains the best way to guarantee no hard border. The UK Government is clear that, in the event of no deal, we will do everything in our power to prevent a return to a hard border.The Government recognises that in a no deal scenario it would need to engage constructively with Ireland and the Commission to find the best way to avoid a hard border.In all scenarios the UK will be unwavering in its commitment to the Belfast Agreement and the people of Northern Ireland.

Treasury

Pensions: Advisory Services

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are taking steps to contact all members of the public who have taken pensions advice from Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulated pensions advisers who have had their authorisations revoked or have been otherwise instructed to cease giving pensions advice; if not, why not; andwhether each case is beingindividually reviewed by the FCA.

lord bates: The Government is committed to working with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to ensure consumers have access to high quality financial advice. The FCA, as the independent financial services regulator, has responsibility for ensuring that the financial advice market works well, competitively and fairly. The FCA conducts investigations into firms in relation to pension transfer advice. If this work results in formal action the FCA publicly sets out their detailed findings on those firms responsible for serious failings and ensures affected customers are aware. In cases where the FCA suspects serious misconduct may have occurred and harm needs to be prevented immediately, as a first step the FCA may also ask firms voluntarily to accept a variation of permission or the imposition of a requirement (VREQ). Typically, when the FCA uses this power it will be displayed on the FCA’s Financial Services Register which is free to access and publicly available. Through their work on pension transfers advice, they identified a number of firms which gave cause for concern. This resulted in VREQs being put in place.

Infrastructure: Capital Investment

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that infrastructure investors may be withholding investment in the UK due to concerns about the current regulatory climate.

lord bates: The UK has established strong, independent economic regulators that protect the interests of consumers and encourage high levels of investment. The economic regulators – Ofgem, Ofwat, Ofcom, and the Civil Aviation Authority – ensure that regulated companies deliver good value for money, and that investors get a fair return on their investment. This system continues to deliver strong levels of investment. For instance, in the water sector, over the next price control period companies have proposed investing £50 billion from 2020-2025, a 13% increase from the previous control period. In 2017, the inward stock of FDI in the UK was the highest in Europe and the third highest in the world.